This invention relates generally to caskets, and more particularly to beds for caskets and construction techniques therefore.
Caskets typically include a bed mounted in the shell thereof for supporting a body thereon. One typical casket bed includes a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails, configured into a rectangular frame. Center rails span the width of the frame. The side rails, end rails and center rails are fabricated of xe2x80x9cangle ironsxe2x80x9d, i.e. steel beams having an L-shaped cross section. The side and end rails are spot welded together at the corners of the frame; similarly, the center rails are spot welded to the side rails.
To complete the assembly of this typical prior art casket bed, bed straps are installed on the frame. More specifically, each end rail includes a plurality of holes therein. Each bed strap, i.e. steel band, includes a hole in either end thereof. At first ends of the straps C-clips are passed through the holes in the straps and through the holes in the end rail. Tension springs connect the second ends of the straps to the other end rail. Each tension spring includes opposed legs, one of which is hooked through the hole in the end of the bed strap, and the other of which is hooked through the hole in the end rail.
Such typical prior art casket beds are subject to a number of criticisms. First, the numerous spot welding steps are tedious and time consuming to perform. Second, the spot welds are subject to breakage. Third, welding generates noxious fumes and can be a fire hazard. Fourth, the bed straps tend to undesirably slide from side-to-side on the center rails. Fifth, the center rails are not adjustable among the length of the casket bed, since they are fixed as by welding to the rails; occasionally circumstances present themselves to funeral directors wherein it would be desirable for a funeral director to be able to adjust the position of the center rails along the length of the casket bed frame, e.g. to accommodate a specific type or size of body. Sixth, the number of individual piece parts required to assemble a completed casket bed of this type is undesirably high.
The present invention, in its several aspects, overcomes the above disadvantages of typical prior art casket beds. In one aspect, the invention is a casket bed comprising a rectangular bed frame formed from a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails, a plurality of cross braces spanning between the side rails, and a plurality of bed straps spanning between the end rails; the cross braces are adjustably movable along the side rails. The cross braces are preferably slidable along the side rails. The side rails are preferably L-shaped in cross-section each having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg. Each cross brace has a pair of ends each of which is preferably configured into a down-turned U-shape. The down-turned U-shaped cross brace ends slide over the vertical legs of the side rails.
In another aspect, the invention is a casket bed comprising a rectangular bed frame formed from a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails, a plurality of cross braces spanning between the side rails, and a plurality of bed straps spanning between the end rails; the bed straps have first ends directly connected to one of the end rails. Either the first ends of the bed straps or one of the end rails include holes therein. The other of the first ends of the bed straps and end rail include projections thereon. The projections are positioned in the holes. Preferably, the first ends of the bed straps include the holes therein, and the end rail includes the projections thereon. Even more preferably, the end rail includes a plurality of tangs integrally formed therewith, with the tangs positioned in the holes.
In yet another aspect, a casket bed comprises a rectangular bed frame formed from a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails, a plurality of cross braces spanning between the side rails, and a plurality of bed straps spanning between the end rails; each cross brace includes a plurality of locators thereon each of which receives one bed strap and locates the bed strap side-to-side on the frame. The locators are preferably raised areas on the upper surfaces of the cross braces.
In still another aspect, a casket bed comprises a rectangular bed frame having a width, a length and four corners and formed from a plurality of beams L-shaped in cross-section, the beams overlapping at the corners of the frame, a plurality of cross braces spanning the width of the frame, and a plurality of bed straps spanning the length of the frame; at each comer of the frame, one of the beams has a tongue which cooperates with a horizontal leg of the one beam to receive therebetween a free edge of a horizontal leg of the other beam. The tongue is preferably generally parallel to the horizontal leg of the one beam. The one beam, i.e. the beam which includes the tongue, is preferably an end rail of the frame. The horizontal leg of the one beam preferably further includes an upturned end portion against which is received a vertical leg of the other beam. The upturned portion is preferably generally perpendicular to the horizontal leg of the one beam.
The invention thus solves a number of the problems posed by traditional spot welded angle iron casket beds. First, the cross braces of the casket bed of this invention are adjustable along the side rails thereby allowing a funeral director to adjust the casket bed to fit a particular body. Second, the ends of the bed straps are connected directly to the end rail, thus eliminating the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d clips normally required to connect the bed straps to the end rail. Thus, the overall number of parts required to assemble a casket bed of this invention is less than that of the above-described prior art casket bed. Third, the cross braces of the casket bed of this invention are provided with locators which receive and locate the bed straps side-to-side on the frame, thereby preventing undesirable side-to-side movement of the straps on the frame. And fourth, the casket bed of this invention does not require any fasteners such as nuts and bolts or rivets, nor welding, for assembly in view of the snap together and/or slide together connections of the side rails to the end rails and of the cross braces to the side rails.